Don't touch my feet, PM Narendra Modi tells MPs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday issued a set of guidelines to the BJP MPs, asking them to do research on issues, have good conduct in Parliament and avoid sycophancy like touching his feet.

"Achha adhyayan, acharan aur sahaj sampark," (good research, conduct and contact with the masses) was Modi's message to his party colleagues during a 20-minute speech in the Central Hall of Parliament on Friday.

He made it clear to the MPs that they should not let complacency eclipse the party's performance which catapulted it to power.

In his first interaction with BJP lawmakers, Modi suggested them to act like MPs of the ruling party while being mindful of the fact that getting elected to Parliament was the beginning of their challenge and not the end.

Modi's focus on proper research by MPs, party leaders said, was a suggestion to lift the level of parliamentary debate, which has turned monotonous in recent years.

"He asked MPs to attend the sittings of Parliament and show no signs of complacency in discharging their duties. He was categorical in suggesting that MPs should speak only after properly studying the topic on which they have to make a speech," a BJP MP who participated in the meeting said.

Modi, another MP said, was equally worried about the growing habit among parliamentarians to act like spokesperson of the government or the party and suggested them to avoid such act, which often turns out as embarrassment to the party.

Modi underscored that BJP was no longer in the opposition and its MPs have a far bigger responsibility in taking the message of the government to the grassroots level and highlight its programmes.

He suggested that MPs should remain in touch with their electorate and raise the issues, both in the media and inside Parliament, on matters relating to their constituency.

"He told us that responsibilities of a leader grow after getting elected to Parliament since we have to represent our people in the house and solve their problem. He asked us to keep visiting the constituency and use the platform of Parliament to highlight the issue related to people," another MP reiterated.